Jonathan Yates is a seasoned commercial strategist with over 30 years of experience at the edge of technological innovation. His career spans leadership and advisory roles across global enterprises and disruptive startups, with a consistent focus on transforming next generation technologies into scalable, realworld business value.
Jonathan has held pivotal roles at IBM, where he was a founding member of the Watson Group, at Tableau during its rapid growth in the data analytics space, and at D-Wave, one of the world’s first commercial quantum computing firms. Across each of these, he has worked at the sharp end of Generative AI, Machine Learning, Data & Analytics, and Quantum Computing, always focused on how these technologies create advantage when aligned to clear commercial outcomes.
He combines deep technical understanding with practical goto market insight, enabling leadership teams to move beyond hype and adopt innovation in ways that deliver. Whether advising Fortune 500s or scaling earlystage ventures, Jonathan is known for his clarity, precision, and hands on support across digital transformation, product innovation, and commercial strategy.
His work has helped thousands of organisations unlock new use cases, sharpen value propositions, and embed future-facing technologies with confidence. As an entrepreneur, Jonathan founded and scaled a datadriven soft drinks startup, achieving a successful exit within four years. He’s also the author of 'All-Time Essentials for Entrepreneurs' and 'Freesourcing: How to Start a Business With No Money' (Wiley/Capstone), and has been featured in The Financial Times, The Sunday Times, and other national publications.
Jonathan holds a BSc in Computing & Information Systems, is a member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, and speaks both English and French. He brings a multi-geo perspective to every engagement and is particularly effective at helping organisations at critical inflection points—whether entering a new market, aligning cross-functional teams, or unlocking the commercial power of their technology assets.
He lives between London and Harrogate with his partner Toni and three sons, Harry, Fred, and Patrick. Outside work, Jonathan enjoys rugby, cycling, skiing, swimming, and hiking. He is a passionate public speaker and lifelong student of data, theoretical physics, and the human dynamics that underpin innovation and leadership.